Youth Programme Manager

Join a team that's all about supporting communities across Aotearoa to thrive!

About us

Kindness Collective (KC) is an award-winning charitable trust that spreads kindness by connecting children, families and communities in need with everyday essentials, moments of joy, care and connection. We work alongside 287 community partners (including NZ Police, Oranga Tamariki, Hospitals, Social Services and NGOs) to support children, whānau and communities all across the country.

We’re looking for a Youth Programme Manager on a fixed-term, 12 month contract, to help us launch and grow our new rangatahi employment programme.

About this role

The Youth Programme Manager will take ownership of Tupu Rangatahi from end-to-end. They will be responsible for creating an environment where young people feel they belong, ensuring structured learning and preparedness for employment pathways, building relationships with employers, and supporting participants into sustainable employment.

This role combines programme leadership, youth development, stakeholder engagement, employment placement and practical coordination, where no two days will look the same. One day may involve facilitating a workshop, meeting with employers and reporting on programme outcomes. The next may involve supporting a young person through a challenge, transporting rangatahi to an appointment or placement, or working directly alongside them in the warehouse environment.

You will be working alongside four cohorts of rangatahi, advisory committees, our wider programme team, community partners and programme partners to make a real difference in the lives of rangatahi across Tamaki Makaurau.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the implementation and ongoing evaluation of the Rangatahi Programme

• Build strong relationships with rangatahi and their whānau, creating a supportive environment that balances high expectations with genuine care and encouragement.

• Maintain relationships with employers, referral providers, community organisations and other stakeholders

• Provide participants ongoing mentoring, coaching and support, helping navigate barriers that may impact their progress, wellbeing or employment outcomes.

• Coordinate programme logistics, schedules, training activities, appointments, work placements and transport requirements.

• Coordinate participants, including onboarding, goal setting, training, work experience opportunities, employment preparation and transition into work.

• Support participants to attend interviews and appointments, including transporting participants when required.

• Work alongside participants in practical environments, modelling workplace expectations, professionalism and accountability.

• Monitor progress, collect programme data and measure outcomes, including programme completion, employment placement and long-term retention.

• Ensure all activities are delivered safely and in accordance with organisational policies and health and safety requirements.

What you'll bring

You’re highly organised and calm under pressure. You're flexible, can coordinate people and logistics, and get real satisfaction from keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes.

You’re great at juggling multiple stakeholders, can hold different challenges and priorities with purpose and are confident working with youth from all ages, spaces, backgrounds and ethnicities. Most importantly, you’re aligned with Kindness Collective’s kaupapa and motivated by the chance to support rangatahi into employment and further training.

Must haves:

• Experience with rangatahi programmes within social services, schools, youth development or similar.
• Passion for making a difference in the lives of rangatahi and whānau.
• Full driver's license, fit and able to get stuck in and lend a hand.

If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you!

The Kindness Collective has a strong commitment to building a diverse organisation. We particularly encourage Tangata whenua or Pasifika applicants.

To check out who we are and what we do head to www.kindness.org.nz Instagram / Facebook / LinkedIn @kindnesscollectivefoundation